NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 14 — Kenya has fired back at the United Nations Human Rights Office over a statement condemning the use of brutal force by the police to break opposition protests urging for similar zeal in calling out lawlessness.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei made the comment on Friday in a tweeted response to the UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.
“While regretting and decrying the unfortunate loss of life or injury, the reckless mobilization of lawless gangs to loot, destroy property, disrupt business, deprive many of means of livelihood and create an environment of disorder, must receive equal condemnation,” Sing’Oei said.
In comments shared on Friday, Laurence had expressed concern over what he characterized as widespread violence in Kenya following protests called by opposition leader Raila Odinga.
“We call on the authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed in the Kenyan constitution and international human rights law,” he said.
Laurence called on the police to use of proportionate force while quelling riots in line with legal confines.
“The policing of protest must seek to facilitate peaceful assemblies and any use of force must be guided by the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and nondiscrimination,” he cautioned.
The UN Human Rights Office further called for prompt, thorough, independent and transparent investigations into the deaths and injuries sustained by protesters.
“Those responsible must be held to account. Effective measures to prevent further deaths and injuries must be adopted,” Laurence said.
Call for restraint
The statement by the UN Human Rights Office came against the backdrop of similar condemnations on the use of brutal force on protesters by Kenyan-based rights groups.
Kenya’s Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) condemned the use of brutal force by the police to break protests while calling on authorities to exercise restraint.
In a statement issued Friday, ICJ Kenya urged the National Police Service to prioritize de-escalation techniques and non-violent approaches during protests.
The Commission noted that Article 37 of the Constitution (2010) gives every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.
“Individuals have the right to peacefully assemble and express their opinions without facing lethal force,” ICJ Kenya asserted.
The Commission called for an impartial investigation into nine deaths blamed on law enforcement units even as it condemned incidents of vandalism.
ICJ Kenya noted that destructive actions only serve to undermine peaceful protests and legitimate concerns raised.
“We call for expeditious investigations of the persons who engaged in criminal behavior and for those persons to be presented before courts of law,” the jurists stated.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority had earlier committed to a transparent investigation to bring police officers cited for misconduct to book.
The probe, IPOA said, will look into “any death or serious injury occurring or suspected of having occurred as a result of police action.”
IPOA will also extend its investigation on possible lapses within law enforcement that may have impeded effective policing leading to destruction of property.
